Atomizers, nebulizers and the like have been used to produce sprays, mists or fogs for a variety of uses, both in manufacturing and in-home use. According to one particular use, medicaments have been nebulized for inhalation. Medicaments as used herein shall be understood to include powdered or liquid drugs, solutions, vaccines, water and the like. In a usual fashion medicaments are often administered through injection or ingestion. For certain respiratory problems (i.e., asthma) it has been generally known to provide for the inhalation of aerosol medicaments. While injection and ingestion are quite popular in a hospital setting, for home use, particularly, injection can be troublesome. Associated with injection are hepatitis, vein collapse and overall discomfort to the patient.
It is believed that some, if not many, medicaments heretofore injected or ingested could be better and more conveniently administered by inhalation. Particularly for respiratory problems, direct inhalation of the medicament is highly preferred to injection or ingestion, which both require relatively large dosages to ensure that a desired amount of the medicament reaches the lungs or the desired effect takes place therein.
To provide for inhalation, various devices have been developed as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,542, issued June 12, 1984 to Hughes and entitled "Vortex Generating Medical Products". Other products have also been developed, particularly for nebulizing medicaments.